Container with hinged cover

ABSTRACT

A box-shaped container has at its upper end an outwardly extending horizontal flange provided on one longitudinal side with at least two slots so as to form two hinge pins of substantial square cross section between each slot and the outer edge of the flange. The cover is provided along its longitudinal edge with two pairs of flaps, each pair comprising two oppositely disposed flap members which are curved toward each other and form a fork which partially embraces a hinge pin. A curved leaf spring extends along the outer surfaces of said flap members and is attached thereto with its inwardly bent ends which enter into slots in said flap members or engage shoulders on said flap members. The opposite longitudinal sides of the cover and box are locked together by a latch member which extends downwardly from a flange on the cover and lockingly engage the horizontal flange on the upper edge of the box.

United States Patent 1 Utz [ 1 CONTAINER WITH HINGED COVER [75] Inventor: Georg Utz, Bremgarten, Switzerland [73] Assignee: Georg Utz AG, Bremgarten,

Switzerland [22] Filed: Sept. 23, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 183,072

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Oct. 2, 1970 Switzerland 14657/70 [52] US. Cl 220/31 R, 220/31 S, 220/60 R [51] Int. Cl B65d 43/16 [58] Field of Search 16/171, 172, 169,

16/175; 220/31 S, 31 R, 55 L, 55 D, 55 F, 39 A, 32; 24/257, 265 B 51 July 17,1973

Primary Examiner-George E. Lowrance Assistant ExaminerAlan Eskenas At zfg ggy Benjamin H. Sherman and Charles F. Meroni, Donald J. Simpson et al.

[57] ABSTRACT A box-shaped container has at its upper end an outwardly extending horizontal flange provided on one longitudinal side with at least two slots so as to form two hinge pins of substantial square cross section between each slot and the outer edge of the flange. The cover is provided along its longitudinal edge with two pairs of flaps, each pair comprising two oppositely disposed flap members which are curved toward each other and form a fork which partially embraces a hinge pin. A curved leaf spring extends along the outer surfaces of said flap members and is attached thereto with its inwardly bent ends which enter into slots in said flap members or engage shoulders on said flap members. The opposite longitudinal sides of the cover and box are locked together by a latch member which extends downwardly from a flange on the cover and lockingly engage the horizontal flange on the upper edge of the box.

11 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.2

Patented (July 17, 1973 3 Sheets-Sheet I Patented July 1 7, 1973 3,746,206

3 Sheets-Sheet 5 CONTAINER WITH HINGED COVER The invention relates to a container comprising a substantially rectangular box with a cover hinged thereto.

The object of the invention is a very economically produceable container of the above-mentioned type which preferably is securable against unauthorized opening, whereby the economy resides principally in the simple construction of the production of the hinges. The container of the invention is provided with a cover made of plastic and this cover is integrally formed with hinged bearings each of which is provided with two oppositely disposed flaps which are curved toward each other and form a fork. Each flap of the hinged bearing embraces partly a hinged pin formed integrally with the box itself. Furthermore, the outer surfaces of the curved flaps of the hinged bearing are embraced by a prestressed leaf spring which has the shape of a cylindrical sector whose ends are inwardly bent and engage recesses in the hinged flaps so that the two flaps are held in position on the hinge pin.

The drawing illustrates various embodiments of the invention.

IN THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a vertical section of a container of the invention along the line I I of FIG. 2.

FIG. 2 illustrates a partial top elevation view of the container illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 illustrates on an enlarged scale a crosssectional view of the hinge of the container shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 illustrates an enlarged sectional view of the locking portion of the container shown in FIG. 1.

The FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate in cross section each a modification of the locking portion of the container.

FIG. 7 illustrates in cross section a modification of the hinge of the container.

FIG. 8 illustrates in cross section a further modification of the locking portion of the container substantially along the line VIII-VIII of FIG. 9; and

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the locking portion of the container substantially along the line IXIX of FIG. 8.

The container as illustrated particularly in FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises a box 1 and a cover 2 attached thereto. The approximate parallelepipedal box 1 is made of plastic and is provided along its entire upper circumference with an outwardly extending horizontal flange 3 which along its longitudinal sides is provided with two pairs of oppositely arranged short slots 4.

FIG. 2 illustrates only one pair of these slots 4. Below the slot 4 in the flange 3 the vertical wall of the box is provided with outwardly extending ribs 5, 6 and 7. The cover 2, which also is made of plastic, is provided adjacent its outer edge with an upwardly projecting rib 8 and with a downwardly projecting rib 9, which latter extends into the box 1. Outwardly of the vertical rib 8 the cover is provided with the horizontal flange 10 which in the illustrated position of the cover 2 engages the upper face of the box flange 3.

The flange 10 of the cover 2 is provided on one ofits longitudinal sides with two hinge bearings 11 which are formed integrally with the cover 2. Each hinge bearing ll comprises two oppositely positioned flaps l2 and 13 which are curved toward each other and form a fork. The flaps 12 and 13 are of uneven length. The shorter flap 12 extends through the slot 4 of the flange 3 and embraces the edge portion 14 of the flange 3 along its inner side, while the longer flap 13 embraces the outer portion of the edge portion 14. The edge portion 14 is approximately square in cross section and forms the pivot axis of the hinge. In order to bring the hinge bearing 1 1 into the illustrated position, it is necessary to flex the two flaps l2 and 13 somewhat apart. After the flap 12 has entered the slot 4 from above, which becomes somewhat narrower in its downward direction, the two flaps 12 and 13 snap together and embrace the edge part 14 which forms the hinge axis.

In order to prevent a reopening of the flaps l2 and 13 the same are fixedly connected with each other by a leaf spring 15. (FIG. 3). The spring 15 has the shape of a cylinder sector and is made of a curved spring plate whose two transverse edges 16 are radially bent inwardly and enter almost without clearance two corresponding parallel grooves 17 provided in the outer surface of the flaps 12 and 13. These grooves 17 extend parallel to the axis of the hinge. The body of the spring 15 is disposed in curved grooves 18 and 19 provided in the outer surface of the flaps 12 and 13. The grooves 18 and 19 are at least as deep or even deeper than the thickness of the spring 15. The spring 15 extends along an angle of more than and has very strong inwardly directed bias so that it is necessary to spread the spring apart in order to bring the same in the position illustrated in the drawing. In fact, the spring 15 in the illustrated position is practically irremovably connected with the hinge bearing 11 and even when employing a screwdriver or the like, it is not possible to pull the spring with its edges from the grooves 16, 18 and 19. v

In order to keep the cover 2 in its closed position, it is provided opposite the hinges 12 to 15 with two downwardly directed snap latches 20 on the flange 3. (FIG. 4). Each snap latch 20 consists of two halves 22 which are separated from each other by an axially extending diametrical slot 21 which also extends through the flange 3. These halves, when the cover is in its closed position, project downwardly from the slot 4 in the flange 3, whereby the lowermost ends 23 are somewhat enlarged and are provided with beveled slide surfaces 24. When the cover 2 is moved to its closed position the slide surfaces 24 move along the upper edge 25 and the inclined wall 26 of the slot 4 so that the two halves 22 of the latch 20 move yieldably toward each other, but as soon as the latch 20 reaches its illustrated closed position, the enlarged ends 23 of the yieldably outwardly moving halves 22 engage their lower edge of the slot 4 and holds the cover in its closed position.

For the purpose of preventing an unauthorized open ing of the closed cover 2, the invention provides a safety clip 27 which is inserted into the slot 21 of the snap latch 20. The safety clip extends not only to the entire slot 21 which is fonned between the halves 22 of the latch 20 but projects with its upper and its lower end from the slot 21. At the upper end of the safety clip 27 is arranged an abutment head 28 and at the lower end the clip 27 is provided with a transverse hole 29 for the insertion of the flexible cord 30 of a lead seal 31. It is clear that only after cutting of the lead seal 31 it is possible to pull out the safety clip 27 from the slot 21 of the snap latch halves 22 whereupon the halves have to be manually pressed together in order to remove the latch 20 from the slot 4 and then, of course, the cover 2 can be opened.

FIG. 5 illustrates a modification of the cover lock which comprises of a simple flexible snap latch 20a on the flange which in its locked position projects downwardly from the slot 4 in the flange 3 and engages with a shoulder 31a the edge portion 14 of the flange 3.

FIG. 6 illustrates a further modification of a simple flexible snap latch 20b on the outermost edge of the flange 10 which in its locked position does not extend through a slot of the flange 3- but has in spaced relation from its lowermost end a recess 32 which with an inwardly directed shoulder 33 embraces the outermost edge of the flange 3.

FIG. 7 illustrates a modification of the hinge structure of the invention. The difference compared with FIG. 3 resides principally in the fact that the leaf spring a is substantially U-shaped and that the recesses 17a in which the bent ends 16a of the leaf spring 15a engage do not have the shape of a slot but have the shape of a rectangular shoulder. In this modification the removal of the leaf spring 150 is not as difficult as in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, but this easier removal of the spring 15a may be sometimes desirable, for instance when a defective cover has to be replaced by another one.

The FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate another embodiment of a latching device for the cover 2. The latching device comprises a horizontally slidable latching member 34 provided with a latching flap 35 of conical shape when viewed in FIG. 8. This conical portion is connected by a narrow neck portion 36 with a handle 37 resting slidably on top of the flange 10 of the cover. The neck 36 is arranged in a slot 38 of the cover flange 10. The slot 38 extends parallel to the edge of the cover. The base of the handle 37is wider than the slot 38 and the conical portion of the latching flap 35 is provided with two upwardly facing shoulders 39 which engage the lower face of the flange 10 directly adjacent to the slot 38, so that the latching member 34 is held in position on the cover once the conical latching flap has been inserted downwardlyinto the slot 38 which is possible by causing temporarily an elastic widening of the slot 38. When the cover 2 is closed the latching flap 35 extends with clearance through a slot 40 in the flange 3 of the box 1. In the latched position of the slots 38 and 40 are disposed one above the other, theyrare approximately of the same length and somewhat longer than the hookshaped latching flap 35 which in the illustrated latched position engages with its hook-shaped end 41 the lower face of the flange 3. On the lower side of the flange 3 is arranged a rib-like projection 42 which in the latched position of the cover engages a groove-shaped recess 43 on the latching flap 35. V

The end of the handle 37, which is directed away from the hook-shaped end 41, is provided with a hole 44 into which enters a projection 45 provided on the top face of the flange 10 of the cover when the latching member 34 is moved to its open position. In order to raise the corresponding end of the latching member 34 above the projection 45, this end of the latching member is provided with a bevel-shaped surface 46. Furthermore, the handle 37 is provided on both concave sides of a raised center portion 48 with transverse corrugations 47.

The last described embodiment of the latching device may also be sealed in the latched position of the box in that according to FIG. 8 a flexible cord 30 of a lead seal 31 is threaded through the hole 44 and the corresponding slots 38 and 40 and is threaded about the edges of the flanges 10 and 3.

The container of the invention is very simple and is particularly suitable for an economical manufacture in large quantities. The closed containers may conveniently be stacked one upon the other in that the bottom of the box will come to lie within the circumferential rib 8 of the cover of the next container therebelow.

What I claim is:

1. Container comprising a box and a cover hingedly attached thereto, said cover being integrally formed with at least two hinge bearings, each hinge bearing comprising two oppositely disposed flaps which are curved toward each other and form a fork which partially embraces a hinge pin portion formed integrally with said box, and a leaf spring embracing the outer faces of said flaps and having its ends bent inwardly and attached to said flaps so as to hold said flaps in engagement with said hinge pin portion.

2. Container according to claim 1, in which the outer curved surfaces of said two flaps are provided with curved grooves which are at least as deep as the thickness of said leaf spring and that said leaf spring is disposed in said grooves.

3. Container according to claim 1, in which said flaps are provided with transverse slots for receiving therein without clearance said bent ends of said leaf spring.

4. Container according to claim 1, in which said box has at its upper edge an outwardly extending flange provided with a slot extending parallel to the outer edge of said flange so as to form said hinge pin portion between said outer edge and said slot, one of said flaps extending through said slot and the other one of said two flaps extending outwardly around said hinge pin portion.

5. Container according to claim 1, including a snap latch integrally formed with a flange on said cover and arranged opposite the edge where said hinge bearings are arranged, said box being provided at its upper edge with an outwardly extending flange provided with an aperture for receiving said snap latch when the hinged cover is closed.

6. Container according to claim 5, in which said snap latch has a shoulder which in the closed position of the cover engages the lower side of said flange on said box.

7. Container according to claim 1, including a snap latch integrally formed with a flange on said cover and arranged opposite the edge where said hinge bearings are arranged, said box being provided at its upper edge with an outwardly extending flange provided with an aperture for receiving said snap latch when the hinged cover is closed, said snap latch comprising two parts separated from each other by a slot which also extends through said flange on the cover, each part of said latch having an enlargement at its free end which upon insertion of said latch into the aperture of said flange on the box engage the lower edge of said aperture, and a safety clip inserted into said slot for keeping said two parts of said latch separated when the cover is in its closed position, said safety clip having at one end an abutment head and at its other end a transverse hole for the attachment of a seal.

8. Container according to claim 1, in which said cover is provided adjacent its outer edge with a circumferential upwardly projecting flange within the area of which the bottom portion of a container of the same construction is adapted to be placed when the containers are to be stacked one on top of the other.

9. Container according to claim 1, including an outwardly extending flange on said cover which in the closed position of the cover engages an outwardly extending flange at the upper edge of said box, said flanges being provided with two parallel slots which are disposed into registration with each other, and a latch member horizontally slidably mounted in the slot of said cover flange and provided with a latch flap which in the closed position of the cover extends through the slot in the flange of said box, said latch flap having a hook-shaped end for engaging the lower face of the flange on said box.

10. Container according to claim 9, in which said latch flap has a conical profile provided with two shoulders engaging the lower face of said cover flange adjacent the slot therein.

llQContainer according to claim 9, in which said latch member is provided with an aperture in which engages a projection on the upper face of the flange on the box when the latch member is in its open position, and cooperating locking means on the cover flange and the hook-shaped end of said latch flap which in the closed and locked position of the cover permit the threading of a flexible cord for a seal through said aperture and through said slots and around the outer edges of said two flanges. 

1. Container comprising a box and a cover hingedly attached thereto, said cover being integrally formed with at least two hinge bearings, each hinge bearing comprising two oppositely disposed flaps which are curved toward each other and form a fork which partially embraces a hinge pin portion formed integrally with said box, and a leaf spring embracing the outer faces of said flaps and having its ends bent inwardly and attached to said flaps so as to hold said flaps in engagement with said hinge pin portion.
 2. Container according to claim 1, in which the outer curved surfaces of said two flaps are provided with curved grooves which are at least as deep as the thickness of said leaf spring and that said leaf spring is disposed in said grooves.
 3. Container according to claim 1, in which said flaps are provided with transverse slots for receiving therein without clearance said bent ends of said leaf spring.
 4. Container according to claim 1, in which said box has at its upper edge an outwardly extending flange provided with a slot extending parallel to the outer edge of said flange so as to form said hinge pin portion between said outer edge and said slot, one of said flaps extending through said slot and the other one of said two flaps extending outwardly around said hinge pin portion.
 5. Container according to claim 1, including a snap latch integrally formed with a flange on said cover and arranged opposite the edge where said hinge bearings are arranged, said box being provided at its upper edge with an outwardly extending flange provided with an aperture for receiving said snap latch when the hinged cover is closed.
 6. Container according to claim 5, in which said snap latch has a shoulder which in the closed position of the cover engages the lower side of said flange on said box.
 7. Container according to claim 1, including a snap latch integrally formed with a flange on said cover and arranged opposite the edge where said hinge bearings are arranged, said box being provided at its upper edge with an outwardly extending flange provided with an aperture for receiving said snap latch when the hinged cover is closed, said snap latch comprising two parts separated from each other by a slot which also extends through said flange on the cover, each part of said latch having an enlargement at its free end which upon insertion of said latch into the aperture of said flange on the box engage the lower edge of said aperture, and a safety clip inserted into said slot for keeping said two parts of said latch separated when the cover is in its closed position, said safety clip having at one end an abutment head and at its other end a transverse hole for the attachment of a seal.
 8. Container according to claim 1, in which said cover is provided adjacent its outer edge with a circumferential upwardly projecting flange within the area of which the bottom portion of a container of the same construction is adapted to be placed when the containers are to be stacked one on top of the other.
 9. Container according to claim 1, including an outwardly extending flange on said cover which in the closed position of the cover engages an outwardly extending flange at the upper edge of said box, said flanges being provided with two parallel slots which are disposed into registration with each other, and a latch member horizontally slidably mounted in the slot of said cover flange and provided with a latch flap which in the closed position of the cover extends through the slot in the flange of said box, said latch flap having a hook-shaped end for engaging the lower face of the flange on said box.
 10. ContaiNer according to claim 9, in which said latch flap has a conical profile provided with two shoulders engaging the lower face of said cover flange adjacent the slot therein.
 11. Container according to claim 9, in which said latch member is provided with an aperture in which engages a projection on the upper face of the flange on the box when the latch member is in its open position, and cooperating locking means on the cover flange and the hook-shaped end of said latch flap which in the closed and locked position of the cover permit the threading of a flexible cord for a seal through said aperture and through said slots and around the outer edges of said two flanges. 